Smad3 is a key intracellular signaling mediator for both transforming growth factor-β and myostatin, two major regulators of skeletal muscle growth. Previous published work has revealed pronounced muscle atrophy together with impaired satellite cell functionality in Smad3-null muscles. In the present study, we have further validated a role for Smad3 signaling in skeletal muscle regeneration. He...

BACKGROUND Viperid snakebite envenoming is characterized by prominent local tissue damage, including muscle necrosis. A frequent outcome of such local pathology is deficient skeletal muscle regeneration, which causes muscle dysfunction, muscle loss and fibrosis, thus provoking permanent sequelae that greatly affect the quality of life of patients. The causes of such poor regenerative outcome of...

Insulin-like growth factors (Igfs) are key regulators of key biological processes such as embryonic development, growth, and tissue repair and regeneration. The role of Igf in myogenesis is well documented and, in zebrafish, promotes fin and heart regeneration. However, the mechanism of action of Igf in muscle repair and regeneration is not well understood. Using adult zebrafish extraocular mus...

SCID mouse tibialis anterior muscles were first irradiated to prevent regeneration by host myoblasts and injected with notexin to damage the muscle fibers and trigger regeneration. The muscles were then injected with roughly 5 million human myoblasts. 1 mo later, 16-33% of the normal number of muscle fibers were present in the injected muscle, because of incomplete regeneration. However, > 90% ...

Following myonecrosis, muscle satellite cells proliferate, differentiate and fuse, creating new myofibers. The Runx1 transcription factor is not expressed in naïve developing muscle or in adult muscle tissue. However, it is highly expressed in muscles exposed to myopathic damage yet, the role of Runx1 in muscle regeneration is completely unknown. Our study of Runx1 function in the muscle's resp...

Skeletal muscle atrophy occurs during disuse and aging, or as a consequence of chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes. It is characterized by progressive loss of muscle tissue due to hypotrophic changes, degeneration, and an inability of the regeneration machinery to replace damaged myofibers. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a proinflammatory cytokine known to mediate muscle atrophy in man...

Muscle regeneration is a complex process requiring the coordinated interaction between the myogenic progenitor cells or satellite cells, growth factors, cytokines, inflammatory components, vascular components and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Previous studies have elegantly described the physiological modulation of the regenerative process in response to muscle injury, but the molecular respo...

Skeletal muscle regenerative potential declines with age, in part due to deficiencies in resident stem cells (satellite cells, SCs) and derived myogenic progenitors (MPs); however, the factors responsible for this decline remain obscure. TGFβ superfamily signaling is an inhibitor of myogenic differentiation, with elevated activity in aged skeletal muscle. Surprisingly, we find reduced expressio...